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7 Ancient Animals That Still Exist In Indonesia

Usually if we want to see the ancient animals then we'll only see in the fossil record because ancient animals that became extinct millions of years ago. But amongst those ancient animal can still be found and alive on this earth, preciously in Indonesia. The animals that was presumed to be extinct but it turns out there and can be called living fossils. Living fossil is a term for animal or plant species considered as extinct and become fossilized, but in fact they still alive. This designation may also be worn for animals or plants who existed from millions of years ago with a form that doesn't undergo many changes with their fossil relics. Some living fossils of ancient animals that can be found in Indonesia are:

1. Komodo

Komodo is an endemic species of ancient reptiles that live since ancient times. Evolution begins with the Genus Varanus dragons emerging in Asia between 40-25 million years ago. Komodo is a close relative of the dinosaur. It is seen from the discovery of fossils of dinosaurs that shows structural similarities with the Komodo dragons body. Dinosaurs have long extinct but the Komodo still exists. Komodo referred to as the last dinosaurs in the world. Animals of the past with the dinosaur known as carnivorous lizards but they are also animal cannibals because they sometimes prey on their children.
Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest lizards. Komodo recorded the largest ever has a length of 3.13 meters and weighs 166 kilograms. Komodo dragons can be found on Komodo and small islands in the vicinity in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. The original habitat of Komodo dragons are found only on the islands of Indonesia and not in other parts of the world.

2. Leatherback Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea or Leatherbacks its said inhabited since 100 million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the planet earth. Leatherbacks are the largest sea turtle species. Weight leatherback turtles can reach 900 kg, with a body length of about one-half to two meters. Unlike other turtles, leatherbacks do not have a hard shell. Its shell is a mosaic of small bones that are firm, rubbery skin with seven longitudinal ridges. Leatherbacks are found from the tropics to the sub-polar ocean areas and common spawn on beaches in tropical regions. Leatherbacks only eat jellyfish, and there are few places in the world has chosen to lay their eggs. One of the spawning grounds in Medi and Warmon Jamursba Beach is located on the North West Bird's Head of Papua Province, District Abun, and District Tambrauw. Leatherbacks have a habit of going around the world to explore the various regions of the hemisphere.

3. Coelacanth Fish

Coelacanth fish predicted has existed since the Devonian era about 380 million years ago, until now the shape is not changed. Coelacanth is an ancient fish comes from a branch of the oldest surviving evolution of jawed fish. Previously, the fish was believed to have gone extinct since the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago. But then it turns out the fish is found alive. This fish lives only in South African waters and the waters of the western part of eastern Indonesia each called Latimeria Latimeria chalumnae and menadoensis. Indonesia's ancient coelacanth fish can be found in the waters of Talise, North Minahasa and waters Malalayang, Teluk Manado, North Sulawesi. Coelacanth fish habitat is at deep over 180 meters with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. In Indonesia, particularly in the waters around Manado and North Minahasa, these species by local people called coelacanths.

4. Arowana Fish

Arowana fish is one of the ancient fish which not yet extinct. The Studies of genetic and fossil findings shown that this fish at least have been lived on earth since 220 million years ago. Arowana included into carnivorous fish that inhabit the river and lake habitats with calm water. These fish can be found in the Amazon, and in some parts of Africa, Asia and Australia. Arowana fish (Scleropagus sp.) can be found in the fresh waters of Indonesia. One type Arowana is "Super Red" Arowana which is the native fish upstream of Kapuas River and Sentarum Lake in West Kalimantan. These waters are a region of peat forests who create a primitive environment for these ancient fish.

5. Saltwater Crocodile

Crocodile is one of the ancient animals are left on this earth. Estuarine crocodiles or Bekatak Crocodile (Crocodylus Porosus) is one of the largest crocodile species in the world, much larger than the Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus Niloticus) and the American Alligator (Alligator Mississipiensis). The body length including the tail can reach 12 meters as it had been found in Sangatta, East Kalimantan. Crocodiles still have close relatives with the ancient reptiles, alligator ancestors CrocodileSaurus which having a length of almost 30 meters. However, due to the influence of nature, CrocodileSaurus bodys shrunk to become the estuarine crocodile. Estuarine crocodiles can be found from the Bengala Bay (India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh) until the Fiji Islands. Indonesia became a favorite habitat for estuarine crocodile than Australia.

6. Belangkas

These crab-like animals are species of arthropods that live in shallow waters and mangrove areas. Sometimes referred to by the name of the horseshoe crab, mimi, or mintuna. Mimi is the name of the Java language to which are male and Mintuna is for the androgynous females. This animal is one of the ancient animal which doesn't change the form since the Devon time (400-250 million years ago) compared to its present form, although not the same kind. The animal shapes like a horseshoe-shaped tail. Although the shape is creepy, Balakas meat and eggs can be used as food. But need to be careful because there are parts of his body that contain toxins. Belangkas crab can be found in the waters of Southeast Asia and North America. In Indonesia, the type of Belangkas crab which found in Indonesia is Tachypleus gigas, Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda. Type T. gigas are found in stuarine waters almost evenly across the water s of Indonesia.

7. Pangolin

Pangolin is one of ancient animals, some fossil pangolin is found in the Oligocene and Miocene. These animals feed on insects and especially ants and termites. Their hair was modified into a sort of large scales that are arranged to form a layered shield as a tool of self-protection. If disturbed, pangolin will furl his body like a ball. Pangolin lives in lowland tropical rain forests. The pangolin can be found in Southeast Asia. Pangolin in Indonesia known as the Java pangolin (Manis javanica) is found in the mountainous areas of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Bali. While it may seem like reptiles, these animals classified as mammals. Now in Indonesia this animal is a protected animal.